Hide and Seek
by Quintessential Queen of Hearts
Summary: Speculation for Hit and Run. Gibbs gives McGee a mission.


I do not own NCIS; no infringement is intended.

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Gibbs was about as concerned as he could be about the current state of all things Abby. He was bordering on more concerned than he'd ever been before. This was worse than the scientist who heard voices. It was worse than the stalker ex-boyfriend. It was even shaping up to end up on the same level of bad as Kate.

As if he wasn't concerned enough, McGee's concern over Abby was compounding with his to make him down right obsessive. Granted, McGee usually was more attentive to Abby's qualms and concerns, Gibbs usually tried to let her work things out for herself.

However, this was pushing it. Abby had disappeared. She wasn't answering her phone, not responding to any of them. Unacceptable. She was brilliant but she couldn't handle everything by herself.

Abby was his daughter for all intents and purposes. Gibbs wanted to know her current location and he wanted it immediately. She was scared. He needed to find her. The little patience he possessed had run out quickly. Since Abby had apparently put herself in hiding, or at least avoidance, he was going to be required to attempt other avenues for answers. He was not going to allow stunts like this. Not when she wasn't herself.

He had run out of ways to look for her. However, Gibbs still had one plan. Luckily, McGee was where Gibbs had left him the last time he'd been in the bullpen. He really couldn't deal with anymore disappearing acts. Gibbs stopped in front of McGee's desk. "Been down to her lab. Bert is gone."

That didn't seem to surprise his agent. If McGee knew where she was and wasn't telling him, heads would roll. "Where is she?"

"Don't know Boss." Gibbs was almost regretting teaching him interrogation techniques. Once they knew how to interrogate, they also got better at hiding their own answers. Not that he thought McGee would lie to him. Gibbs really didn't think he'd lie about important things, for anything or anyone. Except Abby. "If you're lying to me…helping her…"

"I'm not. I really don't know where she is." Eye contact. No, McGee didn't know. Yet. He was still Gibbs' best bet. Gibbs couldn't help but wonder at what point, exactly, he'd lost the ability to put the fear of god in McGee. Maybe the same point he'd started trusting him with the important things.

When had that started including the care and keeping of Abby? So much had changed and he didn't even realize. He'd have to evaluate later. Now there were more pressing issues to be dealt with.

"McGee, you find her." Gibbs bit it out harshly, punctuating each word. No questions, no asking, Gibbs had moved firmly into unreasonable demands. There was even the hint of thinly veiled, unspoken threats should he fail. McGee knew he was good, but he was no miracle worker. "Boss, Abby knows how to make herself invisible if she wants to."

Sometimes when McGee was frustrated or tired he wanted to tell them all that Abby could go do whatever the hell she wanted because he was done. He never did though. Even when she wasn't returning his calls, the ones he'd been making an average of every 90 seconds for hours, and was scaring him worse than she had in forever; because no matter what, she was Abby and he was McGee.

She was his best friend, the one he would still do anything for. And he had never stopped loving her. Gibbs knew about that. It seemed he was cashing in, on every time he'd looked the other way. Gibbs wanted to find her that badly. They both did. Boss was still staring at him.

Gibbs had managed to sink even closer to McGee's face. They had a common goal. Yet, apparently Gibbs had resorted to counting on sheer intimidation, if nothing else, to get him what he wanted. As if McGee wasn't already intent on finding her. He received his instructions while being leered over by the one man whole always seemed to get what he wanted out of people. "I don't care. You get in her head. You find her and you bring her back. Now."

McGee sighed. He knew that it was going to be him that eventually found her, before or after she decided to reappear being another matter entirely. He'd known before Gibbs had started making demands. McGee could always find her. However, the act of finding her wasn't always the hard part. She was still the same stubborn Abby when she was located. "What if she won't come?"

Gibbs knew that his agent had a valid point. Despite what he may wish to happen, Gibbs couldn't force McGee to pick her up and drag her back to NCIS kicking and screaming. He had to come up with a backup, something she'd go for, because they both knew it was impossible to make Abby do anything she didn't want to do. "Then you stay with her."


End file.
